38 pages • 1 hour read
William S. BurroughsNaked Lunch
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1959A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
In Naked Lunch, Lee, a person grappling with heroin use, flees New York to evade police, journeying through Philadelphia and Mexico before arriving in Freeland, a dystopian state. After a riot in Freeland, he escapes to Interzone, facing bizarre and fantastical experiences. He returns to New York, evades police pursuing his notebooks, and flees to Panama City and then Tangier. The book depicts substance use and abuse, addiction, graphic sexual content, and graphic violence.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs garners mixed reactions for its groundbreaking narrative and unorthodox style. Positively noted for its raw depiction of addiction and innovative prose, it intrigues many. Conversely, critics cite its chaotic structure and explicit content as detracting factors. Its cultural influence is undeniable, though polarizing.
Who Should Read Naked Lunch?
A reader who would enjoy Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs is likely drawn to experimental, non-linear narratives and controversial, avant-garde literature. Fans of Allen Ginsberg’s Howl and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road will appreciate Burroughs' raw, hallucinatory prose and exploration of countercultural themes.